Participants during one of the Molonglo Catchment Group's walking tours of the Queanbeyan River in May. Photo: Andy Wong
EXPLORE all the natural wonders Queanbeyan has to offer when the Molonglo Catchment Group hold walking tours along parts of the Queanbeyan River. These tours are an opportunity for community members to try their luck in spotting native wildlife like water rats and platypus in the weir pool and the river, and getting a feel for the life of the riverbank.
Molonglo Catchment Group's Stephen Skinner welcomed participants of any age to spend about 60 to 90 minutes looking at the river and the banks. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing. "There will be sulphur crested cockatoos and magpies for sure, but there may be little pied cormorants, purple swamp hens, dusky moor hens, coots, white faced herons and reed warblers, as well as both black ducks and wood ducks and the black swans," he said.
Mr Skinner said when the weather warmed up other animals like water dragons and the turtles might also be found roaming around the river. "As we move from winter into spring, there will be growing activity on the banks and in the water...moor hen chicks looking like red crested balls of steel wool, multi-coloured wood ducklings, browner black ducklings, smoky grey cygnets and more. Come and see the riverbank come back to life!"
These walks will take place on the afternoon of the third Saturday of each month, weather permitting, from now to November. Participants are required to meet at 3pm at the locations below before the walk will commence. The dates are July 21 (Dane St), August 18 (River Drive, Barracks Flat), September 22 (Collett St), October 20 (Dane St) and November 17 (River Drive).
The Molonglo Catchment Group is supporting the Queanbeyan City Council, the Australian Platypus Conservancy and Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch in their implementation of the Queanbeyan Platypus Awareness and Conservation Strategy 2012.
